Black Beauty

Available for over a year

As a musician, Miles Davis might be best known as the sophisticated balladeer behind albums like Kind of Blue and Sketches of Spain, but he was also a political figure. This essay joins the dots between seemingly contrasting albums like Tutu (a reference to Archbishop Desmond Tutu, and the anti-apartheid movement) and the politically charged jazz-rock of his album dedicated to African American boxer, Jack Johnson. These albums reflect Davis's engagement with historical figures in his art, and the oppression he personally experienced, such as his infamous assault by a white policeman in 1959. This series is part of Miles Davis 100 on Radio 3, celebrating the centenary of one of the most influential figures in 20th-century music. Produced by Joby Waldman A Reduced Listening production for BBC Radio 3.